Propeller.



E. F. GALLAUDET.

PROPELLER.

' AEPLICAUON FILED sEPT.9. 1913.

Atty

Inventor:

Patented Oct. 31,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I E F. GALLAUDET.

PROPELLER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9, 1913.

1916. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Oct. 31,

E. F. GALLAUDET.

PROPELLER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9, 1913.

Patented Oct. 31,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Inventor: I y W 13.32:...

EM'K

7 .IIA I Atty . EDSON F. GALLAUDET, OF NORWICH, CONNECTICUT.

PROPELLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1916.

Application filed September 9, 1913. Serial No. 788,895.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDSON F. GALLAUDET, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the town of Norwich, county of New London, and Stateof Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPropellers, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to a propeller of the reversible screwtype, and more particularly to a reversible screw propeller designedespecially for use in a flying machine although capable of more generalapplication.

It will often be found very advantageous,

as when starting theengine or whenever it I is desired to stop theforward thrust of the propeller without shutting off the engine, to beable to bring the propeller blades to neutral position and then togradually increase their pitch to start the forward movement of themachine smoothly and gradually, or to reverse the blades of propellersof dirigible balloons and of hydro-aeroplanes when floating upon thewater, and

to be able at all times to change the pitch of the blades as desired.

The object of my invention is to provide a propeller and the associatedmechanism required for controlling the pitch of its blades which shallbe so strong and light in construction as to be peculiarly adapted forthe special use in view.

With this end in view the invention comprises certain novel features ofconstruction, arrangement, and combination of parts as hereinafter fullydescribed and specifically illustrated, in the form which constitutesthe preferred embodiment of the invention,

in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of two ofmy variable pitch propellers applied to a flying machine of thehydro-aeroplane type, showing only so much of the body, in horizontalsection, and such portions of the framework of the machine as arenecessary for an understanding of the invention; Fig. 2, a detacl eddetail view showing, in perspective,

the hand lever and immediate connections by which the operator controlsthe pitch of the propeller blades; Fig. 3, an enlarged horizontalsection, partly broken away, showing the shafts and casings of the leftpropeller of the machine (shown at the right in Fig. 1); Fig. 4, avertical section on the line 4 4; of Fig. 3, looking in the direction ofthe arrows; and Fig. 5, a further enlarged view, partly in rearelevation and partly in verticalsection, of the central portion of thepropeller with the rear conical cap removed.

Like reference characters are used to indicate like partsthroughout theseveral figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates the sides, and B a portion of theupper longitudinal frame tubing, of the body of the machine.

C is the main transverse spar, which is suitably mounted in the frame ofthe body and supports the two wings, and D is 'a rear transverse spar. Eindicates some of the inner fore and aft ribs of the left, and E similarribs of the right, wing, and F a portion of the covering of the leftwing.

The engine G, suitably mounted within the body transversely thereof, ashere shown, has sections of its shaft H and H extending to left andright, respectively. The two outer ends of this shaft are respectivelyjournaled in bearings mounted on the inner side of the boX casings I andI, which at their front ends are journaled upon and supported bythe mainspar and at their rear ends are provided with bearings in which arejournaled the front ends of the shafts, inclosed in the tubular casingsJ and J, of the left and right propellers K and K. The rear bearings ofthe two propeller shafts are supported in any suitable manner; in part,as shown, by the tie-bars L and L which are secured at their inner endsthe body.

M indicates the manual control for the blades oflthe propellers.

The left section H of the tubular engine shaft is journaled by means ofball bearings 10 and 11 in the inner wall of what may be called the mainchamber of the box casing I-the inner ball race of each bearingfitting-the shaft and the split outer ball race of the bearing 11 beingsupported in an opening in the wall of the casing and that of thebearing 10 by the two annular sleeves 12 and 13 bolted to the wall ofthe casing-and upon its end, within the main chamber of the casing, iskeyed the bevel gear 14. This box casing is made in two sections, antuper half 15 and lower half 16, which are olted together and form a mainchamber 17 and forward chamber 18,

and an annular transverse sleeve 19 which 'bevel gear 21 in mesh withthe gear 14, is

journaled in the ball bearings 22 and 23- the inner ball race of thebearing 22 being secured in place upon the shaft between an annularshoulder 24 at the end of the shaft and a sleeve 25 bearing at its rearend against the gear 21 and its outer split race being supported in anopening formed in a wall'of the casing between its main and forwardchambers and provided with a shoulder 26 against which the front of therace abuts, while the inner ball race of the bearing 23 fits the shaftand the outerv split race is mounted Within'an opening formed in therearwall of the casing. The tubular casing J surrounding the propeller shaftis supported at its forward end by an annular tongue or projection 27fitting within an annular groove 28 formed in the inner wall of a splitsleeve 29, which, with the outer tapering sleeve 30 to hold its partstogether, is bolted to the face of the rear wall of the casing, and itsrear end terminates in or is joined to an enlarged sleeve or cup 31which is supported in any suitable manner, as already stated, and withinwhich are located the ball bearings 32 supporting the rearend of thepropeller shaft-the inner ball race of this bearing being secured to theshaft while its outer split race is held in place within the cap by anannular flanged plate 33 screwed by its threaded flange to the rear endof the cup. The flanged rear end 34 of the propeller shaft, strengthenedby an inner flanged sleeve 35 secured thereto by screws and extendingforwardly beyond the ball bearings 32, is bolted to the front annularflange 36 of an annular shell or casting 37 which constitutes the huband carries the blades of the propeller K.

The central annular shell of the propeller has formed equidistanttherein two or more,

' here shown as three although the number is immaterial, outwardlyprojecting radial sleeves 38, within each of which is journaled thetubular shank 39 of a propeller blade 40 by means of ball bearings 41and 42the'inner ball race of each bearing'41 abutting at its inner endagainst an annular shoulder 43 formed around the inner end of the shankand its outer race fitting within an enlarged chamber formed in theinner end of the shell and abutting against its inwardly projectingshoulder 44, while the outer ball race of each bearing 42 fits withinasimilar enlarged chamber formed in the outer end of the sleeve andabuts against its outwardly projecting shoulder 45 and the inner ballrace is held in place by an annular cap 46 which screws down upon theshank of the blade. Fitting within the inner end of the iaoaesa shank ofeach propeller blade is a short sleeve 47 which is keyed to the shank bymeans of a tapered pin 48 inserted through holes 50 formed for thepurpose in the outer sleeve and secured by a nut 49 upon its threadedsmaller end, and which is extend.

ed on one side to form an inwardly projectin crank-arm 51 terminating inan outturne slotted lug 52. The crank-arm thus formed at the inner endof each propeller blade is operatively connected by an adjustable link53, pivoted at one end within the slotted lug and at the other endwithin a corresponding lug 54, to a cross-head 55 secured by a nut 56 tothe rearwardly projecting end of a hollow rod 57 which extends forwardlythrough the central shell of the propeller and through the propellershaft, within which it is adapted to reciprocate forward and backward.

The central shell of the propeller is inclosed, on its rear side, by ahollow conical cap 58 which is secured to the annular flange. The frontend of the rod 57 which terminates Within the forward chamber of the boxcasing I, is there rotatably secured within a rearwardlv opening cap 59,carrying a slotted lug 60 projecting forwardly from the center of itsfront wall, by means of ball bearings 6l-the outer split ball race beingheld withinthe cap by an annular flanged plate 62 secured upon the rearedge of the cap and the inner race between the rear flanged end of asleeve 63 fitting upon the reduced end of the rod and a nut' 64 by whichthe sleeve is secured to the rodforming a swivel joint. This cap ispivotally connected, by the slotted lug thereon, to the lever arm 65 ofa shaft 66, mounted to rotate in bearings 67 set in openings pro videdtherefor in the inner and outer walls of the box casing I, by three (forconvenience in assembling) short links 68, 69,

and 70, the link 69 being pivoted, in addition to being ivoted to eachof the other links, to a lug 1 carried by a disk 72 bolted to the bottomWall of the casing. The inner end of the shaft 66, projecting inwardlythrough the side of the body where it is provided with a suitablebearing (not, shown), carries a lever arm 77 which is connected by thepivoted link 78 to a lever arm 79 fixed to the shaft 80. Upon thislatter shaft, located toward the forward end of the body of the machineand suitably mounted therein, is keyed a hand lever 81 which isconveniently placed with respect to the operator and is held locked inposition as desired; for example, by a springdog 82 acting in connectionwith a notched segmental rack 83.

The shaft carries a second lever arm 7 9 which is connected by a pivotedlink 78 to a lever arm 77 fixed to the inner end of the shaft 66, whichcorresponds to" the shaft 66 and is similarly mounted at its outer endin bearings set in the side walls of the box casing I, by which thepitch of the blades' ling the two propellers will be understood from theabove description. Briefly stated,

it is as follows: With the hand 'lever 81 locked in vertical positionthe blades of both propellers will be held in neutral position. Byunlocking and swinging forward the upper end of this lever the operatorwill rock the shafts 66 and 66 so as to draw forward the cap 59 and withit the reciprocating rod 57, rotating with the shaft of each propeller,thus pushing forward the inwardly projecting crank-arms on their shanksand rocking the blades of both propellers to a position of forward orpositive pitch, where they canbe locked in the desired position, thedegree of the pitch of the blades being dependent upon the extent towhich the lever has been thrown forward. In like manner, by drawing backthe handle of the lever the operator pushes back the reciprocating rodsand rocks the propeller blades first to neutral position and then to areverse or negative pitch, where he can again lock them in the desiredposition.

While I have shown and described what I now consider to be the best formin which to embody my invention it will, of course, be understood thatit may be variously modified in its several details without departingfrom the spirit or sacrificing the advantages thereof.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In propeller mechanism of the character described, a tubularpropeller shaft flanged at its outer end and journaled in suitableball-bearings, a hollow hub comprising an annular shell attached at oneend to the flanged outer end of the propeller shaft and provided with aplurality of outwardly projecting elongated radial sleeves each enlargedin its inner diameter at its inner and outer ends, a plurality of bladeswith shanks each provided with an annular shoulder around its inner endand rotatably mounted one within each sleeve by means of outer and innerball-bearings, the outer race of the inner bearing fitting within theenlarged inner end of the sleeve and the inner race abutting at itsinner end against the shoulder on the inner end of the shank of theblade and the outer race of the outer bearing fitting within theenlarged outer end of the sleeve and the inner race being securedagainst outward'movement on the shank of the blade, and means forcontrolling the angular position of the shanks of the blades within thesleeves.

2. In propeller mechanism of the character described, a light tubularpropeller shaft flanged at its outer end and journaled in ball-bearings,a flanged sleeve fitting'within and reinforcing the'fl'anged end of thepropeller shaft, a light hollow -hub comprising an annular shellattached at one end to the flanged end of the propeller shaft and .itsreinforcing sleeve and provided with a plurality of outwardlyprojectingelongated radial sleeves, a plurality of blades with tubularshanks rotatably mounted one within each radial sleeve by means ofball-bearings adapted to transmit the outward thrust of the blade fromanannular shoulder on its shank to an annular shoulder within thesleeve, a reinforcing sleeve secured within the inner end ofthe shank ofeach blade and extended on one side inwardly within the hub to provide acrank-arm for the blade, a rod extending through the propeller shaft andcarrying on its outer end within the hub a cross-head, adjustable linksoperatively connecting the arms of the cross-head with the crank-arms ofthe several blades, and means for reciprocating the rod forward andbackward within the propeller shaft while permitting it to rotatetherewith.

3. In propeller mechanism of the character described, a power shaft, alight tubular propeller shaft which at one end is geared with beveledgears to an end of the power shaft and at its other end carries a hollowhub comprising a light annular shell provided with a plurality ofoutwardly projecting elOngatedradial sleeves, a plurality of propellerblades with tubular shanks ro- I tatably mounted one within each radialsleeve, a rod extending through the propeller shaft and operativelyconnected at one end within the hollow hub with the several propellerblades, a cap mounted with a swivel joint upon the front end of the rod,a rocksha ft connected by a lever arm and links to the cap, and av boxcasing provided in its walls with bearings for the three shafts andinclosing the beveled gears, the swivel cap, and the lever arms andlinks.

4. In propeller mechanism of the character described, a suitablysupported box casing divided longitudinally to form a front and rearchamber, a power shaft journaled at one end in bearings locatedcentrally in one of the side walls of the rear chamber of the boxcasing, a tubular propeller shaft journaled at its front end in bearingsin the rear and front walls of the rear chamber provided each with acrank-arm extending inwardly within the hub, a rod extending through thepropeller shaft and carrying at its rear end within the hub a cross-headconnected by links with the crank-arms of the several propeller blades,a cap mounted with a swivel joint upon the front end of the rod withinthe front chamber of the box casing, a rock-shaft mounted in bearings inthe side walls of the front chamber of the box casing and operativelylinked within said chamber, to the swivel cap, and means located outsidethe box casing for rocking the rock-shaft to control the pitch of thepropeller blades.

5. In propeller mechanism of the character described, a box casingdivided longitudinally to form a front and rear chamber and provided atits front end with a transversetubular sleeve whereby it may be sup:ported upon a rotatable member, a power shaft jo-urnaled at one end withball-bearings located centrally in one of the side walls of the rearchamber of the box casing, a tubular propeller shaft journaled at itsfront end with balLbearings in the rear and front walls of the rearchamber of the box casing and geared within said casing to the end ofthe power shaft, a ball-bearing support for the flanged rear end of thepropeller shaft, a hub comprising an annular shell provided with aplurality of outwardly projecting radial sleeves secured at its frontend to the flanged rear end of the propeller shaft and inclosed bya capat its rear end, propeller blades with shanks rotatably mounted withball-bearings one in each of the radial sleeves of the hub and eachcarrying a crankarm extending inwardly within the hub, a

rod extending through the propeller shaft and carrying at its rear endwithin the hub a cross-head adjustably connected by links to thecrank-arms of the several propeller blades, a cap mounted with a swiveljoint upon the front end of the rod within the front chamber of the boxcasing, a rockshaft mounted in bearings in the side walls of the frontchamber of the box casing and operatively linked within said chamber tothe swivel cap, and means located outside the box casing for rocking therock-shaft to move the rodbackward and forward within the propellershaft to adjust the pitch of the propeller blades.

EDSON F. GALLAUDET. Witnesses: v

WM. B. WHITNEY, MAY F EVERT.

